Integrated toothbrush holder and cover

ABSTRACT

An integrated toothbrush holder and cover for protecting a toothbrush when not in use from airborne contaminants. The integrated toothbrush holder and cover comprises a rigid, rectangular base holder having three receiving apertures disposed on its top side and three elongated cover portions adapted to cover said receiving apertures. The receiving apertures are sized to receive the base of a conventional toothbrush, so as to allow the toothbrush to be inserted into the hollow interior of the base holder until it contacts the bottom of the rectangular base holder, and support the body of a toothbrush which has been inserted so that the toothbrush can stand substantially upright. The cover portion can then be placed over the toothbrush and the receiving aperture in which it has been placed. Each cover portion is sized to completely cover one receiving aperture, covering a toothbrush disposed therein without its sides touching the bristles of the toothbrush or its top touching the top of the toothbrush.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to hygiene accessories and, more particularly, to an integrated toothbrush holder and cover for protecting toothbrushes from contamination.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Microorganisms, or microbes, are essentially ubiquitous in our world. Microbes are found everywhere, including in the ground, the water, and the air, as well as in or on the bodies of plants and animals. While microbes are not known to move around under their own power, it is well known microbes present in the air commonly are move around by floating in air currents and on particles in the air.

Similarly, inorganic contaminants, commonly present in the air in and around homes, businesses, and schools, are also known to be move through the air by being carried in air currents.

Despite the presence of microbes and inorganic contaminants (collectively, “contaminants”) in the air, most people fail to protect their cleaning and hygiene supplies, such as a toothbrush, from contamination from airborne sources when not in use. A problem which still exists, therefore, is that a toothbrush stored in a user's bathroom is commonly exposed to contaminants on a daily basis due simply to the ordinary use of toilets, showers, and cleaning products in the bathroom. Thus, there remains a need for an integrated toothbrush holder and cover which could protect toothbrush surfaces from airborne contaminants. It would be helpful if such an integrated toothbrush holder and cover was adapted to be stored on a user's countertop. It would be additionally desirable for such an integrated toothbrush holder and cover to be able to hold a plurality of toothbrushes at one time.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a toothbrush holder and cover adapted hold a toothbrush upright while covering its exterior surface. The primary components of Applicant's integrated toothbrush holder and cover are base holder and a plurality of cover portions. When in operation, the integrated toothbrush holder and cover prevents contaminants in the air from settling on a toothbrush. As a result, many of the limitations present in prior art applications are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An integrated toothbrush holder and cover for protecting a toothbrush when not in use from airborne contaminants The integrated toothbrush holder and cover comprises a rigid, rectangular base holder, providing a holding means, having three receiving apertures disposed on its top side and three elongated cover portions adapted to enclose a toothbrush and fit in said receiving apertures. Each receiving aperture is sized to fit the base of one elongated cover portion. Each elongated cover portion is sized to receive a conventional toothbrush, so as to allow the toothbrush to be placed completely inside into the hollow interior of the cover portion and fully enclosed therein. The cover portion therefore provide a cover means for enclosing one toothbrush.

When the cover portion is inserted in receiving aperture, it is adapted to rest on the bottom of the rectangular base holder and be supported by the sides of the receiving aperture so to allow it to stand substantially upright. In this manner, the receiving apertures provide a receiving means for receiving the cover portion and holding the body of the cover portion received in a substantially upright position.

It is an object of this invention to provide an integrated toothbrush holder and cover which could protect toothbrush surfaces from airborne contaminants.

It is another object of this invention to provide an integrated toothbrush holder and cover adapted to be stored on a user's countertop.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an integrated toothbrush holder and cover which is able to hold a plurality of toothbrushes at one time.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an integrated toothbrush holder and cover built in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the base holder of an integrated toothbrush holder and cover built in accordance with the present invention having its cover portions removed.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a cover portion of an integrated toothbrush holder and cover built in accordance with the present invention having a toothbrush disposed therein.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a cover portion of an integrated toothbrush holder and cover built in accordance with the present invention having its top end and base end separated.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view in cross section of an alternate embodiment of a base holder of an integrated toothbrush holder and cover built in accordance with the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, an integrated toothbrush holder and cover is shown as a rigid base holder 11 and three cover portions 21. The base holder 11 is a substantially hollow body having a rectangular structure defined by a mirror image front and back side and a mirror image left and right side. In the preferred embodiment, the base holder 11 additionally includes a bottom surface defined by a solid, enclosing surface. In other embodiments, the bottom of the rectangular structure is open and the base holder 11 rests on the bottom of the front, back, left and right sides. In either embodiment, the rectangular structure allows the integrated toothbrush holder and cover 10 to be placed on a flat surface, such as a countertop, without risk of inadvertent sliding.

The base holder 11 additionally includes three identical receiving apertures 11 a across its top surface 13. The receiving apertures 11 a are sized to receive the base end (not visible) of a cover portion 21. Each cover portion 21 is utilized to enclose and contain a conventional toothbrush 12, so as to allow the toothbrush 12 to be stored in the integrated toothbrush holder and cover 10. The cover portion 21 is adapted to be inserted into the hollow interior of the base holder 11 until it contacts the bottom surface, and be supported by the side of the receiving aperture 11 a to allow it to stand substantially upright.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the cover portion 21 is structured with an elongated top portion 22 having an arc top side 22 a and an elongated base portion 23 having an arc bottom side 23 a The body of each cover portion 21 comprises the combined top portion 22 and bottom portion 23, and the top portion 22 includes an engagement receiver 22 b which corresponds with an engagement member 23 b on the base portion 23 to allow the top portion 22 and bottom portion 23 to removably engage. Each cover portion 21 is sized widthwise to fit in and rest around the edges of opening of one of the receiving apertures 11 a disposed on the top surface 13 of the base holder 11. It is contemplated that such a width will also allow the cover portion 21 to stand upright in the base holder 11. The body of each cover portion 21 is adapted to completely enclose a toothbrush 12, as well as sized length wise to extend vertically from the base holder 11 so as to be easily grasped by a user.

FIG. 4 also shows an alternate embodiment of the cover portion 21, wherein the cover portion 21 additionally includes a body aperture 24 in a side surface. The body aperture 24 allows moisture from a toothbrush or which otherwise gets into the cover portion 21 to escape. It is understood that the inclusion of a body aperture 24 could potentially allow airborne contaminants to enter the enclosed integrated toothbrush holder and cover. Thus, the so as to minimize any chance for contamination of the bristles of the brush, the body aperture 15 is located on bottom portion 23, below where the bristles are located on a conventional toothbrush when inside the cover portion 21.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternate embodiment of a base holder 50 is shown as a substantially hollow body having a rectangular structure defined by a mirror image front and back side and a mirror image left and right side. In the alternate embodiment, the bottom surface 50 a of the base holder 11 includes four base compartments 51 on a bottom surface 50 a which are each defined by a discrete depression with a rubber insert 51 a disposed therein. The depression and rubber insert 51 a together provide a surface which holds an inserted toothbrush cover portion built in accordance with the present invention (not shown) more securely than a smooth surface could. The base holder 50 additionally includes four identical receiving apertures 52 across its top surface 50 b. The receiving apertures 52 are sized to receive and let pass through the base end (not visible) of a cover portion built in accordance with the present invention. Each receiving aperture 52 corresponds in location to one base compartment 21 such that a cover portion built in accordance with the present invention, when inserted through a receiving aperture 52, into the hollow interior of the base holder 50, will contact the base compartment 51 which corresponds to the receiving aperture 52 through which the cover portion passed, and be supported by the sides 52 a of the receiving aperture 52 to allow the cover portion to stand substantially upright. In the alternate embodiment, rubber is included on the surface of the sides 52 a to stabilize a cover portion when in place in the base holder 50.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated toothbrush holder and cover, comprising: at least one cover portion defined as an elongated rectangular body with an elongated top portion and an elongated bottom portion, wherein each cover portion is sized fully enclose a conventional toothbrush; and a rigid, rectangular base holder having at least five planar sides, wherein at least one receiving aperture is disposed on one of said planar sides and each receiving aperture is sized to receive one cover portion and hold the cover portion received in a substantially upright position.
 2. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 1, wherein three receiving apertures are disposed on one of said planar sides.
 3. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 2, comprising three cover portions.
 4. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 1, wherein the top portion includes an arc top side at a proximal end and an engagement receiver at a distal end.
 5. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 4, wherein: the bottom portion includes an arc bottom side at a proximal end and an engagement member at a distal end; and the engagement receiver and engagement member are configured to removable engage to allow the top portion and bottom portion of the cover portion to be selectively attached.
 6. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 1, wherein the rectangular base holder includes a top side, a right side, a left side, a front side, and a back side and is configured to rest on a flat surface with the bottom of the front, back, left and right sides contacting the flat surface.
 7. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 1, wherein the rectangular base holder includes a top side, bottom side, a right side, a left side, a front side, and a back side and is configured to rest on a flat surface with the bottom side contacting the flat surface.
 8. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 1, wherein bottom portion of the at least one cover portion includes a body aperture.
 9. An integrated toothbrush holder and cover, comprising: at least one cover means for enclosing one toothbrush; and a holder means having at least one a receiving means for receiving a cover means and holding the body of the cover means received in a substantially upright position.
 10. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 9, wherein three receiving means are present on said holder means.
 11. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 9, comprising three cover means.
 12. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 9, wherein four receiving means are present on said holder means.
 13. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 9, comprising four cover means.
 14. An integrated toothbrush holder and cover, comprising: at least one cover portion defined as an elongated rectangular body with an elongated top portion and an elongated bottom portion, wherein each cover portion is sized fully enclose a conventional toothbrush; a rigid, rectangular base holder having a top side, bottom side, a right side, a left side, a front side, and a back side and is configured to rest on a flat surface with the bottom side contacting the flat surface, wherein at least one receiving aperture is disposed on one of said top side and one base compartment is disposed underneath each receiving aperture on said bottom side and each receiving aperture is sized to receive one cover portion and hold the cover portion received in a substantially upright position; and wherein said at least one receiving aperture includes rubber disposed along its edge and each base compartment includes a rubber insert.
 15. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 14, wherein four receiving apertures are disposed on said top side.
 16. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 15, comprising four cover portions.
 17. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 14, wherein the top portion includes an arc top side at a proximal end and an engagement receiver at a distal end.
 18. The integral toothbrush holder and cover of claim 17, wherein: the bottom portion includes an arc bottom side at a proximal end and an engagement member at a distal end; and the engagement receiver and engagement member are configured to removable engage to allow the top portion and base portion of the cover portion to be selectively attached. 